What chemicals should you put in while cycling an aquarium?

Question

I just set up a new aquarium with a heater and a filter running, I put in aqua safe (a water conditioner) and i put in fresh water aquirium salt. How should I cycle this aquarium before puting any fish in it? It is a ten gallon and I plan on adding fancy guppies. Any other chemicals I should add to the water?? Thanks.

Answer 1

The only chemicals you need to cycle your fish tank would be water (dihydrogen monoxide; yes, water is a chemical) and some form of ammonia (NH3) to "feed" the bacteria in your filter. Instead of using fish food which can get expensive and messy (this is a 4+ week process), so ammonia from the grocery store (cleaning aisle) in the form of ammonium hydroxide (NH4OH) is fine (it is just lightly diluted ammonia). Add about 5 ml per 10 gallons, wait a few days, and test the ammonia. Each week, add another 1-2 ml to keep fueling the bacterial bloom. Since you aren't using fish, do NOT do any water changes. Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Soop Nazi

EDIT: Any bottled bacteria is pretty much a scam. It is usually dead, and if it isn't dead in the bottle, it dies when you dump it into your tank...

EDIT 2: If you wanted to, you could aclimate Guppies to saltwater (though that isn't the kind of salt you have). The salt you are using is good to prevent stress in all kinds of fish.

Answer 2

yes, get 'cycle' as well!
aqua safe can be used once a month, when you do your water changes
Cycle can be used weekly, which helps benefical bacteria, and keep ammiona and nitrite levels down.
they can both be used together.

make sure the tank has been set up for two weeks before adding fish to allow the water to mature and bacteria to settle in the filter. during this time do a 20% water change, and test the water before adding fish - guppies aren't as hardy as what people make them out to be.

Answer 3

Nope, that's fine :)

Just add a pinch of food, then leave it 4-6 weeks to cycle fishlessly and check levels daily.

Not sure how much the guppies need the salt - to my (limited) knowledge they're not one of the species that appreciates it in particular, but it can't hurt!

Answer 4

when cleaning a tank make sure you put water conditioner in the new water. Chemicals .e.g Chlorine will kill the fish.

Answer 5

DONT PUT IN SALT IF YOU PUTTING GUPPIES IN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!